Should People Keep Their Beliefs Private

A little less than 80 percent of European citizens say they are religious. Across the EU, Catholicism is prominent. A little under 50 percent of all Europeans are Catholic, 12 percent are Protestant and 8 percent are Eastern Orthodox Christians. Atheists and agnostics make up a little more than 20 percent .

Sometimes it can be hard to understand how all these different religious groups can live together in peace and harmony. There is peace and harmony where different religions is concerned in some circles. In others, your religion can be your strength or your downfall.

Some people feel that religious beliefs should be kept private and that secular divides between people’s beliefs and communal (public) areas and institutions should stand. According to few, keeping religious beliefs private is a way for people to improve religious tolerance with each other. In short, according to these people, religious beliefs should not be shared in public areas and should be kept in the confines of homes and private spaces.

Others beg to differ, stating that one’s beliefs make up one’s identity. One cannot, then, abandon one’s own beliefs simply because one is in a public space. Religious discrimination is basically the same as racial discrimination; therefore it is impractical and offensive to ask one not to observe one’s own religious beliefs in public.

Religious beliefs cannot be kept private the same way they cannot be imposed on people who are unwilling to accept them. beliefs play a big role in a person’s life; therefore it makes no sense to suppress one’s religious beliefs.

Yet again, the answer to this question depends on many things; such as whether or not society believes in free speech and freedom of expression and various other freedoms.